Recently, the number of cases of theft of things on airplanes has increased sharply - this is evidenced by numerous complaints from Russians who have become victims of air thieves. Many of them lost items from their hand luggage or found their suitcases opened. Some people do not immediately notice the loss of valuables, which complicates further investigation. In addition, scammers have learned to place dummies of stolen items in bags. Lenta.ru found out what the most popular theft schemes are and how to protect yourself from intruders.
Attackers steal money and belongings of Russians on planes and airports
In July, a large sum of euros and dollars was stolen from a Russian on a flight from Moscow to Ankara, and instead they were given small banknotes from Nigeria and Uzbekistan.
In September, the situation seems to have become more widespread - since the beginning of the month, at least six cases of in-flight theft have been reported. For example, the presenter and operator of the Russian TV channel “Friday” was robbed on a flight of one of the best airlines in the world - Emirates. They returned from Johannesburg, South Africa, to Moscow without equipment worth half a million rubles.
Upon arrival in Russia, they discovered that their suitcases had been opened. They checked them in as luggage, but Emirates representatives shifted responsibility for what happened to airport employees and advised them to leave a complaint on the airline’s official website. In addition, a statement was filed with the police.
An even larger sum was stolen from Arnold from Kazan. He was flying from Istanbul to Dubai on Flydubai.
During the flight, the thieves stole a thousand dollars (84.3 thousand rubles), 1.5 thousand dirhams (34.4 thousand rubles), 30 thousand rubles and a cardholder from his backpack. The victim noticed the theft after landing - notifications about transactions from three bank cards began to arrive on his phone. The criminals managed to complete some of them, while Arnold was able to block the rest. The police are currently looking into his case.
The last high-profile incident occurred on September 21. A couple from Moscow flew on a Flydubai flight to the favorite resort of the rich - the Maldives - with a transfer in Dubai. Already in Male, they discovered that the luggage had been opened, and cash in rubles and euros had been stolen. Muscovites lost 120 thousand rubles. They submitted a statement to law enforcement officials at the airport in the capital of the Maldives. However, after a month and a half, no progress was made in the investigation.
Russian woman Maria also shared her story with Lenta.ru. In mid-July, she flew from Yerevan to Moscow. One of the valuable things that the girl carried with her was a jewelry box.
Maria also noticed that the bag containing other things was torn. The girl noted that the suitcase was opened with special care and skill, since it was locked with a code. She contacted Yerevan airport, where she still has not received an answer, and also contacted an inspector from Sheremetyevo. The Russian air harbor conducted an inspection and told the girl that they found no signs that the theft had been committed on the airport premises. In addition, the Russian woman contacted Shiraz Avia. The air carrier shifted responsibility to the air harbor.
How to avoid becoming a victim of air thieves?
Often crimes occur right in the cabin of the plane. As a rule, thieves wait for the moment when the passenger relaxes and loses his vigilance. The first minutes after takeoff are especially dangerous, when the lights in the cabin are dimmed. At this time, many people fall asleep. Carry-on luggage is often placed in the overhead bins of the plane, out of sight of the passenger. Also, a person can go to the toilet, and this will give the thief a few minutes, which will be enough to remove valuables from the bag. Therefore, it is better to put them in the inner pockets of your clothes during the flight.
Many passengers, when checking their bags into their luggage, are confident that it is safe. However, unscrupulous airport employees can also open checked bags. This can happen at different stages: from inspection to loading onto the plane. To protect yourself, experts advise choosing a bag of a “calm”, non-flashy color, and also wrapping your luggage with film - a thief most likely will not dare to open such a suitcase.
What to do if items from your luggage or hand luggage have already been stolen?
“If a passenger discovers theft during a flight or immediately after it ends, he must immediately inform the flight attendant and call the police. It’s always good if a tourist has confirmation that he had the missing amount of money with him (a certificate of purchase of currency, a check from a bank, a customs declaration),” explained Igor Kositsyn, head of the “Toururist” project and the law firm “Kositsyn, Polyanina and Partners” in an interview with Lenta.ru.
He noted that tourists from Russia are forced to carry cash with them due to sanctions and the inability to pay for any purchases abroad using Russian cards. The expert emphasized that the situation with air thieves could change if airlines and airports strengthen security measures and passengers stop carrying cash with them.
How do thieves open luggage and is the combination lock really that reliable?
Many experts point out that combination locks on suitcases are a useless tool. “The combination lock can be opened with two paper clips, and there are several videos on the Internet with step-by-step instructions. Some people can do it without paper clips at all: an experienced person only needs to hear the characteristic clicks of the mechanism when turning the disk to find the correct code,” writes Techinsider. Experts believe that the combination lock can be torn off and then placed again on the suitcase so that the passenger does not notice the opening.
You can also find videos online showing luggage being opened with just a ballpoint pen—you don’t need to guess the code for this. In addition, thieves are actively using new technologies. Thus, in the USA a few years ago they learned to open luggage by printing keys on a 3D printer.
The most notorious cases of theft at airports
In 2023, in Tenerife (Spain), 14 airport employees were found guilty of stealing items from tourists' luggage. It was reported that for a long time they opened checked suitcases right in the cargo compartments of airplanes. The total amount of stolen goods was estimated at almost two million euros (193 million rubles).
